Sexual violence against children during armed conflict, vastly under-reported

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:18 am

New York/IBNS: While warring parties agreed to more than 30 action plans, road maps, command orders and other measures to better protect children in 2019 – the highest number in any one year – rape and other forms of sexual violence remain vastly under-reported, including against boys, the leading UN advocate on the issue told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Universal, inclusive education ‘non-negotiable’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:17 am

New York/IBNS: Inclusive education should be a “non-negotiable” right for all children, the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a new report launched on Tuesday.

UN agency assisting Palestinians working at ‘full capacity with inadequate resources’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:15 am

New York/IBNS: Some 75 countries and non-governmental organizations have  pledged  $130 million in financial commitments to the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, UNRWA, following a  virtual conference on Tuesday.

Frontline public servants lauded for ‘remarkable acts of service to humankind’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:14 am

New York/IBNS: As the world continues to grapple with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday paid tribute to frontline public sector workers for their “remarkable acts of service to humankind”, marking Public Service Day.

Widows must not be left out of efforts to build back better after COVID-19

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:13 am

New York/IBNS: When countries begin building back from the COVID-19 pandemic they must also work towards dismantling laws that discriminate against women, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for International Widow’s Day on Tuesday.

UN condemns killing of Indonesian peacekeeper in DR Congo

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:11 am

New York/IBNS: The United Nations has strongly condemned an attack believed to be carried out by rebel militia on peacekeepers serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which left one Indonesian ‘blue helmet’ dead, and another injured.

COVID-19 upends ‘entire generation’ of 600 million South Asian children

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:08 am

New York/IBNS: Without urgent action, COVID-19 will continue to unravel decades of progress across South Asia, destroying the “hopes and futures of an entire generation”, warns a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

Vote in Japan to change status of disputed islands, may escalate tension with China

Jun 23, 2020, at 11:01 pm

Tokyo: The dispute between Japan and China might reach another point of tension as a Japanese city passed a bill to change the administrative name of a group of islands under its authority to officially include the name "Senkaku" for the first time.

Japan-China may engage in bitter standoff over claim on group of islands on East China Sea

Jun 23, 2020, at 10:53 pm

Beijing/Tokyo: Away from Ladakh, a group of islands on the East China Sea can be the next hotspot for a bigger dispute between India and China as both the countries claim the region to be their own.

Nepal starts border row with India to divert public attention as China captures parts of it

Jun 23, 2020, at 10:23 pm

Nepal has been engaged in a border dispute with India in recent times only to divert attention from China's move of occupying several areas in the Himalayan nation, media reports said.

Canada: Alberta makes free non-medical masks to stem Covid-19 spread

Jun 23, 2020, at 06:58 pm

Alberta/IBNS: In a bid to stem the spread of Covid-19 during the first phase of its reopening, Canadian province Alberta distributed more than 14 million free non-medical masks at A&W, McDonald’s Canada, and Tim Hortons drive-thrus across the province, media reports said.

Security forces kill 4 terrorists killed in NW Pakistan

Jun 23, 2020, at 05:09 pm

Islamabad/Xinhua/UNI:  Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistani police in the country's northwest Peshawar city on Tuesday killed four terrorists during an exchange of fire, according to a spokesperson of the CTD.

Pakistan's COVID-19 tally reaches 1,85,034

Jun 23, 2020, at 05:08 pm

Islamabad/UNI:  Pakistan's nationwide tally of Covid-19 has risen to 185,034 on Tuesday as the southern province of Sindh continues to be the worst affected province with 71,092 cases.

Ex- Pakistan PM Asif Ali Zardari to be charged in money laundering case

Jun 23, 2020, at 05:05 pm

Islamabad/UNI:  Islamabad court is planning to indict former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, others accused in a money laundering case on July 7.

Somalia bombing leaves 3 dead

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:41 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua: Three people including a suicide bomber were killed in an explosion outside a military training school in Mogadishu early on Tuesday, a government official has confirmed.

North Korea sets up loudspeakers along border

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:29 pm

Seoul/UNI:  North Korea has set up around 20 loudspeakers in its border with South Korea for the purpose of voicing its propaganda.

Six policemen dead in Taliban attack in Balkh of Afghanistan

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:17 pm

Kabul/UNI: At least six policemen were killed and one wounded in a suspected Taliban attack in the northern Balkh province on Monday night, local officials said on Tuesday.

Militant attack leaves 9 security personnel dead in northern Afghanistan

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:13 pm

Kabul/UNI:  Nine members of the Afghan security forces were killed and three injured when militant's attacked the police headquarter's of northern Kunduz province.

China receives jolt as it loses WTO dispute against EU

Jun 23, 2020, at 11:09 am

Beijing/IBNS: China's long fought war to gain market-economy status received a jolt last week when it lost the landmark World Trade Organization dispute against the European Union, media reports said.

Turkey arrests four people for Spying for France - Daily Sabah

Jun 23, 2020, at 10:02 am

Moscow/Sputnik: Turkey's authorities have arrested four people for spying in favor of France, the Daily Sabah reported.

New Assembly president pledges to serve UN ‘as a whole’, building consensus

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:44 am

New York/IBNS: The expectations and views of each of the world’s regional groups and its members “will be equally important and valuable to me”, the newly elected president of what will be the 75th UN General Assembly, told an informal meeting of the world body on Monday.

COVID ‘exacerbating existing vulnerabilities’ in Central African Republic: Lacroix

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:42 am

New York/IBNS: The Central African Republic (CAR) is making progress as it prepares for presidential and legislative elections in December, but the political situation is still fragile - and security conditions volatile - amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said on Monday.

First Person: Ending violence against women - ‘men and boys — I am talking to you’, says UN Deputy Chief

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:38 am

New York/IBNS: Men and boys who “turn a blind eye” to violence against women, must accept that they are “accomplices to violence” according to the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.

US designates four major Chinese media outlets as 'foreign missions'

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:09 am

Washington: A move that may further deteriorate the relationship between the two nations, the US government on Monday described operations of four major Chinese media outlets as "foreign missions" as they are “substantially owned or effectively controlled” by the Chinese government. They thus became the equivalent of an embassy. 

COVID-19 Economy: Donald Trump suspends H-1B, other visas till year end

Jun 23, 2020, at 08:43 am

Washington: In an attempt to help the COVID-19 hit economy of the nation, US President Donald Trump has suspended issuing of H-1B visas, which is popular among Indian  IT professionals, and several other foreign work visas till the end of the year.

Canada: Alberta RCMP fines 7 Americans for stopping to sightsee in Banff National Park

Jun 23, 2020, at 12:06 am

Alberta/IBNS: Seven tickets were issued by Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to Americans who stopped in Banff National Park in Alberta to see the sights last week despite Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)'s current rules which bans non-essential travel between Canada and the United States till July 21, media reports said.

Geo and Jang Group editor Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman spends 100 days in prison as protests grow for his release

Jun 22, 2020, at 11:07 pm

Islamabad: Amid growing protests over his detention, 100 days have now passed since Editor-in-Chief of Geo and Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was arrested and kept behind the bars in Pakistan.

Afghanistan: UN condemns attacks on healthcare amid COVID-19 pandemic

Jun 22, 2020, at 05:27 pm

New York/IBNS: Fifteen attacks on healthcare in Afghanistan were recorded during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report published on Sunday by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, UNAMA.

Seven militants killed in Afghanistan eastern Ghazni province

Jun 22, 2020, at 05:14 pm

Ghazni/Xinhua:  Seven militants were confirmed dead and five others wounded as clash flared up in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province on Sunday, said an army statement released here Monday.

Kung fu shrine Shaolin Temple reopens to public

Jun 22, 2020, at 05:13 pm

Zhengzhou/Xinhua: China's kung fu shrine Shaolin Temple reopened to the public on Monday, ending a months-long closure amid the COVID-19 epidemic.